Sea-wall, breakwater, and similar structure.



Patented Dec. 1,1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

lull W. SMITH;

SEA WALL, BREAKWATER, AND SIMILAR STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. a, 1908. r 905,596.

' W. SMITH. SEA WALL, BREAKWATEB, AND SIMILAR STRUCTURE. APPLICATIONFILED PEB..6, 1908.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1722/6210]? Willz'aziadfz/zzfi edw i? 7 WILLIAM SMITH, OF SOMERS POINT,NEW JERSEY.

SEAWALL, BBEAKWATER, AND SIMILAR STRUCTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

Application filed February 6, 1908. Serial No. 414,641.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SMITH, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Somers Point, in the county of Atlantic and Stateof New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSea-Walls, Breakwaters, and Similar Structures, of which the followingis a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in marine construction, andit has for its object to provide an improved structure adapted for usein the construction of seawalls, break-Waters, piers, bulk-heads, andwalls used in the building of light-houses and other structures that areexposed to the waves of the ocean, whereby the pounding action of thewaves is eased and reduced to a minimum by cushioning devices, therebyrendering the structure practically indestructible, and enabling arelatively light construction to be used Without danger of destruction,the cushioning devices serving to gradually break the waves withoutpermitting them to rise and pass over the top of the wall or structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide blocks embodying thecushioning devices and capable of being readily assembled and locked soas to form a solid wall or structure which is capable of withstandingthe pounding action of the waves without danger of disintegration.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain improvementsand combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinaftermore fully described, the novel features being pointed out particularlyat the end of the specification.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 represents a vertical section of asea-wall or a portion of a break-water built in accordance with mypresent invention; Fig. 2 represents a front elevation of a section ofthe wall, the piling supporting the wall or structure being shown; Fig.3 is a perspective view of a block of the character used in theconstruction of the wall shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 1 represents anend view of the block shown in Fig. 3 as viewed from the right; Fig. 5is a perspective view of a key for locking the blocks firmly in fixedrelation; Fig. 6 is a top plan View of the wall; Fig. 7 is a frontelevation of a section of a wall showing the blocks assembled in such amanner as to break the joints; and Figs. 8 and 9 are end views showingblocks provided with cells or cavities of different cross-sections.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in theseveral views;

Sea-walls, break-waters and similar marine constructions embodying mypresent invention are provided with cells or cavities in their exposedfaces to receive water and thereby reduce the shock due to the poundingof the waves thereon, these cells or cavities being normally above thewater so that bodies of air will be confined in the cells as the waterenters them, the compression of the air serving to yieldingly resist theentrance of the water and thereby gradually arrest the inward movementthereof.

In the present embodiment of my invention, the wall or other structureis built up of a suitable number of blocks 1 that are molded fromconcrete or other plastic material, the length of the blocks varyingaccording to the character of the structure in which they are used, andaccording to the violence of the waves which the structure is to resist.In the present instance the blocks are substantially rectangular inlongitudinal and transverse'section so as to facilitate their assemblingand to avoid any cracks or crevices between them, and it is generallypreferable to so assemble the blocks, as to present a sloping orreceding surface which is exposed to the waves.

In order to secure a firm foundation for the wall or structure, it isnecessary in most, if not every case, to provide a substantial piling tosupport the weight of the structure and prevent its destruction becauseof moving sands and other causes which would otherwise undermine thestructure, and I have provided a novel and improved concrete pilingwhich is preferably employed and is capable of penetrating all marinegrowth, shells and the like and affords a firm foundation for thesupport of the structure. This piling structure comprises a suitablenumber of rows of vertical piles 2 each provided with a metal head 3 onthe lower end thereof, the head having a central opening through whichextends a central pipe 4. This pipe extends from. the head vertically tothe top of the pile and projects a suitable distance above the top toprovide a pin which enters apertures formed in the 5, the latterspanning the spaces between pile, the fluid thus introduced beneath thepile serving to dislodge and remove the material and thus permit thepile to sink to the deslred depth, this pipe at being surrounded by amass of concrete molded in.

place during the construction of the pile and is Well adapted towithstand the action of the water. In sinking the piles through rock andother hard substances, this central pipe may receive a drill or mayassist in blasting operations.

The blocks are assembled above these girders or beams either in themanner shown in Figs. 2 and 6, wherein the vertical sides of the blocksof each vertical row coincide, or in order to obtain a more solidstructure, the blocks may be assembled in the manner shown in Fig. 7,wherein the vertical sides of each horizontal row of blocks arestaggered in relation to those of the rows above and below it, thejoints between the blocks being thus broken. In either case thelowermost tier or tiers of blocks begin at a level below the sand sothat entrance of the water beneath the structure that may undermine it,will be prevented, and in order to insure a structure of the maximumsolidity, it is preferable to lay the blocks in concrete so as to sealthe cracks between them and firmly unite the blocks to prevent relativedisplacement.

Each block is provided with a cell or cavity 8 which extendslongitudinally thereof and opens at its end exposed to the sea. Thelength of this cell or cavity may be proportioned according to theviolence of the waves to which the structure is to be subjected, and thewalls of the cavity or cell preferably converge from the wider or openend to the apex 9. The cavity may be of any desired cross-section, itbeing of circular form in Fig. 3, rectangular form in Fig. 9 andoctagonal form in Fig. 8, but it is preferable in each instance toconverge the longitudinal walls of the cell or cavity. As the wider endof the cell or cavity of each block is presented to the wave as itapproaches the wall or structure, a substantial portion of the wave willenter the numerous cavities, passing toward the apexes thereof. However,a great number of these cavities or cells are normally above the sealevel so that they are filled with air, and the in-flowing water willconfine and compress a quantity of air in each cell, the convergingwalls of the cells offering a considerable friction to the water toabsorb the force of the wave, and the consequent reduction in thecross-section of each cell or cavity will cause an acceleration of themovement of the water as it approaches the apex of the cavity, theelastic action of the confined air serving to gradually arrest themovement of the water and to expel the water as the wave recedes.

In order to permit a considerable proportion of the wave to enter thecavities 01' cells of the wall and thereby prevent deflection of thewave over the wall or structure, it is generally preferable to providemeans of escape for a portion of the air confined in the cells orcavities, each block being provided in the present instance with upperand lower vertically extending vents 10 which extend through the upperand lower walls of the block in alinement and registration with oneanother, and the vents of each block communicate with the correspondingcell or cavity at a point adjacent to the apex thereof, and all thevents communicate with the atmosphere near the top of the structure andpreferably at the exposed face of the wall or structure. Any suitablemeans may be employed for conducting the fluid from this vent to theatmosphere, but it is preferable to provide the blocks of the upperhorizontal row each with a longitudinal vent passage 11, each passaoecommunicating with one of the lines of vents of each vertical tier ofblocks and leading to the face of the wall or structure. This passage isprovided by making a groove in the face of the block so that when theblocks are assem bled one above the other, this groove ,will form apassage which leads from its corre sponding line of vents to theatmosphere. The purpose of the vent is to enable a considerableproportion of fluid to escape through it from the apex of eachcushioning cell, the reduced pressure in front of the water entering thecavities or cells permitting a considerable proportion of the wave topass into the wall or structure, its movement being resisted orcushioned until the force of the wave is spent. As the wave recedes theformation of a vacuum within the cushioning cells is prevented by airenter-' ing from the atmosphere through the vents into the cavities sothat the latter are thoroughly emptied during the periods interveningbetween the waves.

In order to positively prevent dislodgment of the blocks due to thepressure and pounding of the waves, it is preferable to key the blocksrelatively to one another, each block being preferably provided with alocking pin 12 projecting from one side, preferably its upper side, andarranged to'register with a corresponding locking aperture 13 formed inthe under side of the block next above it, and relative lateraldisplacement of the blocks is prevented by means of keys, those shown inthe present instance being each composed of a block 14 havingdove-tailed or enlarged ends 15 which are adapted to fit intocorrespondingly formed recesses 16 provided in the upper face of eachblock, the key being dropped in place after the blocks of each row havebeen assembled, and extend transversely across the crack between eachpair of blocks so as to lock them firmly from lateral displacement.

In building sea -wa1ls, bulk -heads and similar structures With blocksembodying my present invention, the rear side of the wall or structureis backed up by the earth so as to prevent the entrance of water behindthe structure, but in the building of breakwaters, piers and otherstructures which are partially or entirely surrounded by the sea, thedouble or endless formation of the wall will prevent the entrance of thewater.

A marine construction built in accordance with my present invention iscapable of effectually resisting the waves without damage, as thepounding action due to the dead weight of the water is cushioned and theforce of the wave is gradually absorbed by means of the cushioning cellsor cavities, and

' it will be understood that while I have shown the structure in thepresent instance as built up of blocks or sections, the entire structuremay be made in some instances of concrete in the exposed face of whichthe cushioning cells or cavities are molded, and it will be alsounderstood that while I have described the invention as especiallyapplicable to marine structures, the invention is not so limited, as Icontemplate application of the invention to various uses wherein it isdesirable to cushion or relieve the shock due to the pounding of aliquid against a wall or other structure.

I claim as my invention:

1. A structure of the class described having wave cushioning devicesformed in the exposed face thereof.

2. A structure of the class described provided with inwardly extendingwave cushioning cells formed in the exposed face thereof.

3. A structure of the class described provided with air cushioneddevices arranged in the exposed face thereof for receiving and absorbingthe force of the waves.

4:. A structure of the class described having an exposed face ofcellular formation, the cells being open to receive the waves and closedat their inner ends to form an elastic cushion.

5. A structure of the class described having an exposed face of cellularformation,

the cells being open at one end to receive the Wave, the longitudinalwalls of the cells tapering to form a closed inner end to confine anelastic cushioning fluid.

6. A structure of the class described having a side of cellularformation which isexposed to the waves, the cells being open at one endand closed at their inner ends to confine an elastic cushioning fluid,and a ventcommunicating with the inner closed end of each cell forestablishing communication between the latter and the atmosphere at theexposed side of the structure.

'7. A structure of the class described composed of assembled blocks eachhaving a longitudinal cavity open at one end to receive a portion of thewave and closed at its inner end to confine fluid therein, a ventextending through one of the walls of the block and communicating withthe closed end of the cavity, and a vent passage extendinglongitudinally between two adja cent blocks and leading from said ventto the atmosphere.

8. A block adapted for use in the building of marine structures having alongitudinal cavity provided with an enlarged end opening at one end ofthe block, and the walls converging to form an apex at the closed innerend thereof.

9. A block of the class described provided with a longitudinal cavityleading from one end of the block inwardly, the longitudinal walls ofthe cavity converging toward the inner end, and vents extending throughthe walls of the block and communicating with the closed inner end ofthe cavity therein.

10. A structure of the class described comprising a plurality ofassembled blocks, having wave cushioning means formed in the exposedfaces thereof one of the blocks being provided with a locking pinadapted to register with a corresponding aperture in an adjacent blockand having recesses in its upper face extending toward the sidesthereof, and keys having enlarged ends adapted to fit into the recessesof adjacent blocks for locking them from lateral displacement.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM SMITH.

itnesses:

SUSAN E. DU BoIs, ARvER FARISH.

